SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Ministerial Meetings

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Solicitor-General what discussions the Attorney-General held with John Bellinger, senior associate counsel to President Bush and legal adviser to the National Security Council, during his visit to Washington in February 2003. [199763]

The Solicitor-General: As made clear in paragraph 377 of the Report of the Butler Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction, in order to assist in reaching a concluded view on the proper interpretation of resolution 1441, in February 2003 the Attorney-General met members of the US Administration who, as co-sponsors of the resolution had detailed knowledge of its negotiation. These were confidential Government to Government discussions and their content is covered by legal professional privilege. The detail of the discussion is therefore exempt from disclosure under both paragraphs 1 and 4(d) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.